One Fleeting Moment
by DevlinV1
Summary: [FIN:2004] Edge has returned sporting a new tattoo... covering up the one that he had gotten with Christian all those years ago. That, combined with some cruel remarks, sends Christian fleeing. Even Jericho can't help but want to comfort him.


**One Fleeting Moment**

**By Archangel**

_A "Machine" Challenge Fic_

_Character One: Chris Jericho_

_Character Two: Christian_

_Rating: R_

_Fic Type: Sap_

_Content to include: getting/showing off/changing a tattoo_

"How can you even dare show your face in front of me after all the shit that you've done!"

"What _I've_ done? What about you, Mister Self-Absorbed! Did you ever stop to think about me or my feelings while you were chasing Trish!"

"No, I didn't! Because I thought you were a real friend! _Real_ friends don't turn their backs on people just because they fall in love!"

"_Real_ friends don't completely ditch people for a girl they can never fucking have!"

"I could've had her if you had kept your ass out of it!"

"Bullshit! You're too much of a…"

Jericho blinked as Christian trailed off in mid-insult, confused as to why he wasn't continuing his tirade. He followed his ex-best friend's gaze to a place behind himself, at first not seeing anything. But then he noticed who was in the center of a group of other wrestlers. It was Edge, Christian's older brother. Jericho frowned slightly as he remembered the things that had happened between the two of them. After being separated for most of their lives they had been rejoined here in wrestling, but when things had started going really, really well for Edge, Christian had become jealous.

It seemed history was sort of repeating itself between he and Jericho. Jericho turned back around, about to make a smart remark about Christian's history with Edge, but stopped short at what he saw. Christian had one hand pressed tightly over his mouth, almost as if he was about to be sick. His eyes were still locked on his radiant brother. The look of absolute misery on Christian's face almost made Jericho feel sorry for him, but he didn't understand why Christian looked so sad. Just then Edge appeared next to him, startling him.

"Hey Jerky," he said nicely, flashing his famous smile at him. "What's up?"

"Not much, Edge. Long time no see."

"Yeah, I know. It's great to be back. I feel fantastic!"

"Yeah, you're looking pretty good lately. Fired up."

"Hell yeah! Hey, I even got a new tattoo. Did you see?"

Before Jericho could say no, Edge lifted the sleeve of his t-shirt to reveal his tattoo. His left upper arm held an Aztec sun similar to the decoration that had covered his wrestling tights for years. The center of it was solid black, fading into red, orange, and yellow when it reached the flames. Jericho arched a brow at it curiously.

"It's really cool, but didn't you already have a tat there?"

"Oh yeah. I used to have that stupid, ugly shark. Boy, was it a big fucking mistake to get that damn thing. I dunno what the hell ever possessed me. I guess it must've been meaningful or important at the time, but fuck that, right? That part of my life is long gone, over with, in the shit can where it should've stayed in the first place."

Jericho winced at the obvious menacing insinuation Edge let leak into his voice. He was talking about Christian, not the tattoo. Jericho knew the story behind the bulldog and shark tattoos Christian and Edge had. They'd gotten them together a long time ago and had once been very proud of them. It was one of the many things the two of them had shared affectionately. Jericho glanced nervously at Christian, who looked like he was about to burst into tears at any second. Edge was refusing to even look at him, much less acknowledge his presence.

"Well, ya know… Even when things don't go the way we wanted them to it's still good to have memories and reminders of the good times. Ya know what I mean, Edge?" he suggested, trying to hint that maybe Edge shouldn't blow Christian off so completely.

"Yeah, I guess that's true. Memories can be nice sometimes." He paused as if reflecting on that. "On the other hand, I don't have any good memories, Jerky. All I remember clearly is being deceived, betrayed, and beaten over the head with large objects when I was least expecting it."

Jericho jumped when Christian suddenly turned and ran away from the two of them, his sobs echoing down the corridor. Jericho felt his chest tighten slightly at the sound. He glared back up at Edge.

"Don't you think you're a little old to be holding a grudge? What you just did was fucking childish!"

"He deserved it. Let him cry all he fucking wants. I thought that you would appreciate seeing him in pain after what he's been pulling on you lately."

"Just because he and I aren't friends anymore doesn't mean that I want to see him suffer. I'm not fucking sick like that!"

Edge arched a brow and leaned in slightly. "Watch your words, Jericho."

"Oh, believe me, I know exactly what I just said. That was just fucking cruel to do that to him, Edge. He's your baby brother for God's sake!"

"That didn't stop him from doing all those things to me!"

"No, but maybe it _did_ stop him from finishing the job when you came back a couple weeks of ago! Ever think about that? Maybe he feels bad for what he did! Maybe he was just scared shitless of approaching you because you're the fucking Ice King!"

"He should be scared! Because if he ever even _tries_ to talk to me I'll rip his head off!"

"Why don't you pull that icicle out of your ass and pay attention to things! Christian isn't the little boy he was when you left! Contrary to recent events concerning me and him, he _has_ changed. If you ask me, it's probably a good fucking thing that he betrayed you. You were just holding him back."

With that Jericho moved down the corridor in the direction Christian had gone. He didn't know what locker room he was using tonight so he had to duck his head into nearly every room. Asking some of the other guys helped even more till finally Jericho was pointed at a particular door. He walked in without knocking, knowing Christian would never let him in willingly. He gasped at the sight before him.

Christian was standing in front of one of the makeup counters, all the lights around the mirror illuminating his left shoulder. Before him was an empty razor. He had popped the blades out and was currently using one of them to redesign his bulldog tattoo. Even from where he stood Jericho could see the bloody mess he was making out of himself. As he slowly stepped closer he could make out the original cuts and the design they made. It looked like a bleeding Aztec sun. That was when Christian noticed him there and looked up, his face streaked with tears, and his teal blue gaze empty and vacant.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly.

"I came to find you. Why are you doing that?"

"To match Edge. Why else?"

"Christian, stop. Mutilating yourself isn't going to do anyone any good."

"It will. It'll do me good," he said as he turned back to the mirror. Jericho watched him wipe a hand through the blood to make the slices easier to see. "I'll have something in common with him again. Maybe when he sees what I did he'll see that I'm still a good brother."

Jericho carefully stepped over to him, resting a hand on his back and taking his wrist before he could bring the blade to his skin again. He carefully pulled the blade away from him without looking at it. He kept his eyes locked on Christian's face. There was barely a reaction to him at first, the tears continued to fall, his eyes remained distant. Then he blinked and looked up at him, his sweet little mouth turning into the pout Jericho had grown so fond of, his lower lip quivering. Then in a rush he shoved himself against Jericho's chest and sobbed mournfully. Despite all the hatred he felt for Christian, he felt even more pity for him. He knew from the beginning when they first teamed up that Christian had a lot of issues and problems. That was why he acted the way he did. That was why he hurt people when he felt they were growing apart from him. He would always hurt people before they had a chance to hurt him. It was the only way he had of protecting himself from the pain.

"Whoever made you this way deserves to rot in hell," Jericho whispered, glancing towards the ceiling as if making the suggestion to God. "So many scars inside and out. I wish that I could heal them all for you."

Whether or not Christian heard him Jericho didn't know. He didn't care either way really. He only held his miserable… Yes, he still thought of him as a friend. He held him as he poured out his anguish, letting the tears fall down over his chest, letting the sobs shake him as they reverberated through Christian and into him. He knew that as soon as this moment passed they would be right back where they had been before Edge made his presence in the hallway known. Christian would go back to being the conniving backstabbing bastard. Jericho would go back to being the bitter betrayed jerk bent on revenge. But for this moment all of that could be forgotten. The two of them held onto each other as if clinging to one last ray of hope for a brighter tomorrow and maybe, just maybe, forgiveness somewhere down the road.

_But for just one fleeting moment_

_The answer seemed so clear_

_Heaven's not beyond the clouds_

_It's just beyond the fear_

_No, Heaven's not beyond the clouds_

_It's for us to find here_

**The End**

_Legalities: Chris Jericho is copyright to himself. Christian Cage is copyright to TNA Wrestling. Edge, and any other mentioned characters are property of World Wrestling Entertainment. I claim no knowledge of each of the characters sexual preferences or lives. This is a story of fiction, none of these events are real. I received absolutely no profit from this story. Song lyrics are from "Belleau Wood" by Garth Brooks, and copyright to him and his record label._


End file.
